‘Wicked: For Good' Dominates Box Office With $150 Million Opening—Beating Last Year's First Installment

Core Insights - "Wicked: For Good" grossed an estimated $150 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend, making it the second-biggest premiere of 2025, following "A Minecraft Movie" [1][2] - The sequel outperformed the first film's opening weekend, which grossed approximately $112.5 million domestically [2] - The film also performed well internationally, bringing in an additional $76 million, resulting in a total gross of $226 million [2] Performance Comparison - Despite its strong opening, "Wicked: For Good" did not surpass "A Minecraft Movie," which grossed over $162 million domestically during its opening weekend and over $950 million worldwide [3] - The sequel received mixed reviews from critics, earning a score of 58 on Metacritic compared to 73 for the first installment [3] - Audience reception was more favorable, with an "A" CinemaScore and a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes [4] Market Context - "Wicked: For Good" is part of a series of anticipated year-end blockbusters aimed at revitalizing a lackluster box office year [5] - Analysts expect upcoming films, such as James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash," to drive sales in the latter part of the year following a historically poor October [5] - The film opened in 4,115 theaters and grossed approximately $68.6 million on its opening night [5]